


Comeuppance

by cataclysmicconniption



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 03:49:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6407587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cataclysmicconniption/pseuds/cataclysmicconniption
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He regretted not saving her sooner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Comeuppance

He regretted not saving her sooner.

The attack was too fast, but the world seemed to slow down as Niles watched Camilla fall from her wyvern onto the ground. The arrow was impaled in her body, close to her heart. The Archer that had fired it was long gone, but Niles couldn’t care less about that, hurrying to his wife’s side. Time seemed to freeze the moment he had her in his arms. Camilla was unresponsive, a bruise starting to form on her left temple from hitting the ground. There were fine scratches along her face as well, but her lips… gods, her lips were pale.

“Camilla, hang on,” Niles said as he lifted her off the ground hurriedly. Her wyvern hadn’t budged, forever faithful even through the chaos. Niles carefully laid Camilla on the saddle, careful of the arrow, careful of everything. His mind was all over the place and the blood was rushing to his ears. This just couldn’t be happening and yet it was and why why did it have to be her? Niles set off a signal so that someone could come help. “Hang on okay? I’ll get you taken care of, so just hang on all right? Don’t die on me, Camilla! You can’t, you can’t –”

Niles took a breath, gently touching his wife’s cheek. It was still warm – a good sign, a very great sign – and soft and it took everything within the rogue man not to track the bastard Archer that did this. She had been protecting him and yet he should have been protecting her. This should have been him with the arrow to the chest, not his Camilla.

It took a minute (or hours, Niles wasn’t sure) before help arrived in the form of Kamui and Xander. Both hurried over to Camilla, talking to her as they carefully led her wyvern out of the battlefield. Niles didn’t follow them at first, glancing back at the woods. He could feel the archer hiding, watching their every move. He would probably try to strike them down again, if given the chance.

“Niles, hurry! We have to take Camilla back to the camp!”

Kamui called out to him, Xander continuing to lead the way. The worried look on their faces didn’t sit well with him at all; Camilla’s injury was probably more serious than it appeared to be. Niles caught up without a complaint or smart remark. It was unlike him, but it just didn’t feel right – being a smartass when his wife was severely injured. But he would make sure that the bastard archer got his comeuppance. 

Right now, Camilla was the most important matter at hand.

 

Somehow, word about the incident reached Nina.

With wide eyes and pale skin, she had rushed into the camp’s infirmary just as Niles and Izana had lay Camilla on one of the beds. To see her mother with an arrow impaled in her body, unmoving and nothing like her usual bubbly self, frightened the young girl.

“Mother!”

Niles stopped her from getting any closer as Izana drew the curtains around the bed, closing everyone out. He didn’t fight back when Nina beat her fists against his chest, her eyes fiery and shining with tears. He let her yell at him in anger and frustration, demanding to know why he didn’t protect Camilla as he should have – why he let her mother be reduced to this state.

Niles couldn’t answer. He didn’t have an answer. In his own mind and heart, he felt that he had failed Camilla completely, that she could possibly die because of choosing to protect him. The actual thought of losing her terrified him beyond measure; he had been abandoned, betrayed, and abused all his life until becoming Lord Leo’s retainer. Getting to know Camilla and marry her had been… a godsend.

And now that could all be taken away from him.

“Father…”

Nina stared at him with utter sympathy now, her shoulders slumped and eyes filled with sadness. Any hostile emotions she had harbored towards him from the ordeal had diminished to nothing, save for her heavy breaths and hot tears. Niles pulled her into his embrace. Nina was warm, shaking, and felt so small, and for a moment, Niles almost lost it. Could he raise Nina alone? Could he even imagine it? These thoughts plagued him as he gently stroked his daughter’s hair – hair that resembled his wife’s. 

 

“Take me with you on this mission tonight.”

Niles didn’t give for arguments; he’d go even if Kamui said no. Izana had tended to Camilla until nightfall, but when he stepped out, there was a relieved smile on his face (though his hair had seen better days).

“It was a close one, but Camilla will pull through. She needs to stay for a couple of days though.”

“Can we see her?” Nina asked, her fists shaking from both from anxiety and relief. Her braids were disheveled and coming loose; she hadn’t left the infirmary since Camilla’s operation and it showed. Niles felt both pride and pity for his daughter; even though she was stubborn and mouthy – so much like him – the fear of losing Camilla had changed her. She loved her mother just as much as Niles loved her.

Izana nodded and escorted Nina to where Camilla, glancing back Niles questioningly. The rouge archer shook his head. Nina would be in safe hands, watching after her mother. He had something else he needed to tend to, now that Camilla was definitely all right. Something that he had to do for himself. 

That was how he ended up in the meeting room with Kamui. 

He had overheard talk of them revisiting the fields for more recon tonight, thinking that there would be less enemies to face since it would be harder to see in the dark. Niles wanted to go. He felt in his bones that he would see that bastard archer again – for one last time, if he had a say in it.

“What about Nina? And Camilla?” Kamui asked. “Is it really okay for you to leave them now? I don’t want you to get hurt either, Niles.”

“Don’t worry about me, Kamui,” Niles said with his signature smile. “I wouldn’t dare die now. Nina couldn’t handle having both of her parents in the infirmary. Besides, I owe someone an arrow through the chest, and what better time than tonight?”

 

There were very few soldiers on the enemy lines that night, a good sign for everyone else. Kamui made sure to keep everyone paired together though, so Niles found himself tagging along with Arthur as they roamed the fields. There was nothing but silence, save for Arthur’s random talks of justice, Effie, and Ace. Niles kept his eyes on the woods though, feeling as if he were being watched all over again.

An arrow suddenly shot past him from the wooded area, barely grazing his cheek and landing behind him. Arthur started, hurrying over to Niles as the rogue archer quickly moved out of harm’s way. He wondered if the archer had been hiding all this time, waiting for them to return so that he could pick them off one by one. The very thought made his blood boil as he remembered Camilla being shot off her wyvern.

“Niles, wait!” 

Arthur shouted at him, but Niles heard nothing as he hurried towards the woods, dodging each arrow shot at him. The bastard archer could only shoot from a distance, but Niles had the ability to do both, taking no time to incapacitate the enemy with one of his own arrows. He stood over the archer now, looking at his handiwork. His arrow had impaled the bastard in the same area that his arrow had struck Camilla – close to the heart. Unlike Camilla though, this man would not receive any assistance or healing. He would not survive.

“I realize that you were only do your job,” Niles said nonchalantly, stepping on the archer’s chest roughly. “It should’ve been me you struck down, but somehow you attacked my partner instead. Big mistake.” 

He yanked his arrow out of the bastard archer’s body, watching the life drain from his eyes. There was something satisfying about it, something utmost relieving about it. The bastard would never get a chance to harm Camilla ever again, or even attempt to hurt his comrades. It was over. He had gotten his revenge. Niles wiped the blood from the arrow onto his clothes.

“That’s for my wife.”

 

Camilla was awake when he opened the curtain around her bed.

Nina was sleeping, her head resting on Camilla’s thighs. Camilla ran her hand gently through their daughter’s hair, her plaits completely undone now. There was a gentle smile on her lips, though her eyes held utmost pity for their child. Niles closed the curtain and sat next to his wife, really looking at her.

Camilla had been bandaged up tightly from her chest down, the handiwork of Izana, Sakura, and Elise combined no doubt. The bruise on her left temple had gotten darker throughout the day and there were fine cuts along her cheeks, arms, and hands. But her eyes twinkled the same playful twinkle, and when she looked at Niles, she smiled that same loving smile she always reserved just for him.

“You look like hell.”

Her voice was hoarse but somehow kept that same lilt. Niles couldn’t help the shaky laugh that escaped him as he hid his face in her neck. Her body was so warm, so much warmer than when he had held her on the field. When he thought he was about to lose her, the most important person in his life.

Yet here she was, with him and their daughter thank gods.

“Yeah…? You do too.” 

Niles nearly melted against Camilla when she tenderly touched his cheek and pulled him closer. It was the comfort that he had been pining for since the incident – the warmth that he worried would be stolen away from him for good. The rogue archer wrapped his arms around Camilla, his body becoming lax. Neither commented on the hot wetness on Camilla’s neck or the fact that Niles was shaking so much. 

There was no need. There never would be.


End file.
